Sonny Liston - Trivia, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays Get in on the latest boxing conversations in our Forum and comment on articles. Liston had a short and successful amateur career, following which he turned pro. He earned the money being a professional Boxer. In 1956, he found himself on the wrong side of the law again. WebPatterson defended against Liston in Comiskey Park, Chicago, on September 25, 1962, and the rest is history. The official date of Charles L. Liston is given as May 8, 1932. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on May 8, 1932. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. Liston and Geraldine had no children, but Liston loved kids and enjoyed being in their company. In his next fight he bounced back to TKO Chuck Wepner shortly before his mysterious death in 1970. Sonny never really had a Prime. London: Aurum Press, 2008. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. . He quickly learned how to box and within three years was fighting on the amateur circuit. An error has occured while loading the map. On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Best Known For: Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. Paroled in 1952, he had a brief amateur career, winning several Golden Gloves championships and defeating 1952 Olympic heavyweight champion Ed Sanders. He never shied away from street fights. Additional support provided by the Arkansas Community Foundation. Deceased persons are not concerned by this provision. He was one of many childrenone account lists twenty-two siblings and half-siblings. Fighter in Boxing History: Charles 'Sonny' Liston Liston continued to fight in the ring until June 1970. Liston claimed he was born in Folley knocked down twice in 2nd round; 9 count and saved by the bell at 9 count. gnalogique Dowling avec plus d'un demi-million de parents, Liston's formative years were spent growing up as a physically and mentally abused child living in a forsaken patch of land known as Sand Slough, Ark. Appeared in a Santa Claus hat on the cover of the December 1963 edition of Esquire Magazine. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. He also has a position among the list of Most popular Boxer. He was officially knocked out by Muhammad Ali in one minute for the fastest KO in heavyweight history up to that time. Served 7 months in jail for beating up a police officer over a parking ticket in St. Louis in the mid-1950s. Drinking. His alcoholic and violent father was thirty years older than Sonnys mother. This is how Tosches describes Liston's birth place: "It was in the sector of Morledge Plantation that lay in Johnson Township, St. Francis County, that Tobe Liston and his family came to live and farm, on a low patch where a rill of muddy water, a mile and a half or so long, dribbled dead to its end in a slough of sandy dirt where nothing could grow. The couple had two children; one was a daughter from Chambers previous marriage. Liston relocated to Denver with his wife Geraldine and friend/sparring partner Foneda Cox and underwent extensive counseling with Father Murphy. Boxer Charles L. Sonny Liston was bornin St. Francis County, Arkansason May 8, 1932. He was a victim before he was ever a brute. Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. Sonny Liston Biography, Life, Interesting Facts - Famous Major children and living persons must directly contact the. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. New York: Skyhorse, 2011. It was a defense mechanism designed to keep people from getting too close. Assael, Shaun. His father physically molested him. After being unable to reach Liston for 12 days, his wife Geraldine returned to their Nevada home on January 5, 1971, at which time she discovered Liston's dead body. Or it would be history, if boxing historians would stop sweeping the legacy of Sonny Liston under the ring canvas. Sonny Liston - Death, Muhammad Ali & Children - Biography The author begins appropriately at the beginning with his subject, providing more comprehensive information about Sonny's childhood than probably even Sonny himself knew. Liston was arrested more than 20 times. Liston didn't find gainful employment in St. Louis. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Sonny Liston, Birth Year: 1932, Birth date: May 8, 1932, Birth State: Arkansas, Birth City: St Francis County, Birth Country: United States. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. He supported many in his life. Even as champion, Liston was never able to escape his prison beginnings or the allegations of mob connections. Liston was an excellent boxer. Least of all, Sonny himself. Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing by Reverend Father Alois Stevens. He had earned the title shot with an impressive string of 195960 victories over top contenders Cleveland Williams, Nino Valdes, Roy Harris, Zora Folley, and Eddie Machen (all knockouts except for Machen). He became a professional fighter in 1953. Official Sites. Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. WebHe had seven siblings. By all accounts, Liston had a woeful childhood. Do we really know how good Sonny Liston was? His Dowling His heavyweight title-winning victory on September 25, 1962, was indicative of his powerful style: After a mere two minutes, he knocked out Floyd Patterson, which marked the first time in history that a reigning heavyweight champion was counted out in the first round. In Michael Mann's Ali, Liston was portrayed by famous boxer Michael Bentt, with whom he shares a strong resemblance. 4 among heavyweights, on Dec. 4, 1961. Joe Louis rated Liston's jab one of the best in boxing history. contains thousands of pictures and GeneaStars. Liston claimed he was born in 1932, yet his rap sheet for his 1950 arrest for armed robbery listed his age as 22, making him born in 1928. His mother worked several jobs to support her children. Nine years of steady fighting later, and following additional scrapes with the law, Liston fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship. Sonny Liston prefers not to tell the details of marital status & divorce. Lets check, How Rich is Sonny Liston in 2019-2020? According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb & Various Online resources, famous Boxer Sonny Listons net worth is $82 Million before He died. He earned the money being a professional Boxer. He is from AR. He was adopted when the couple was together. He was caught and charged with first-degree robbery and larceny, and was sentenced in 1950 to 5 years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. His trademark shirt during his illegal raids was yellow. For those interested in knowing more about the life and times of one of the most enigmatic and troubled heavyweight champs, the book "The Devil and Sonny Liston," by Nick Tosches (Copyright 2000, published by Little, Brown and Company), is a wealth of knowledge. Profile: Sonny Liston (1932 1970) Black Art Story The official cause of death was lung congestion and heart failure, although Liston had fresh needle marks on his arm and police discovered heroin and a syringe in the house. In 1950, he was arrested by the police. There were also times when he showed surprising compassion for the less fortunate. The most noticeable being his win over Ed Sanders. No one knows how Sonny Liston died. In October 1952, Liston was released on parole. From the start, it was apparent that he had a future in the ring. Soon caught (his crimes were inept, spur-of-the-moment, strong arm jobs) and charged with first-degree robbery and larceny, he was sentenced in 1950 to five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. He became a professional fighter on September 2, 1953, when he knocked out Don Smith in a single round in St. Louis. He had earned the title shot with an impressive string of 195960 victories over top contenders. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. He started boxing in prison and was likely over 30 then. At the age of thirteen, he ran away to St. Louis, Missouri, following his mother, who had left earlier. Liston, who posted a career record of 50 wins and 4 losses with 39 knockouts, reveled in this role of the fighter America loved to hate. The CALS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Liston, Sonny - Encyclopedia of Arkansas Liston was the most feared man in the world, until Muhammad Ali arrived on the scene and knocked him out twice, ending his championship days and his reputation as the "World's Baddest Man." Nine years of steady fighting later, and following additional scrapes with the law (fourteen arrests between 1953 and 1958 and a conviction in 1956 for assaulting a police officer), Liston finally fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship. He won 11 consecutive fights by knockout in 1968 and added three more wins in 1969 before losing a brutal bout to Leotis Martin. Some believed that the fight was fixed as reported in later biographical works likeThe Devil and Sonny Liston(2000)by Nick Tosches. Sonny Liston existed, and, Ali bouts or no Ali bouts, he was one of the greatest fighters to ever lace on a glove. Though it appeared that Liston had barely been grazed by Clay's right fist, the boxer went down just one minute and 45 seconds into the first round. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up We are all related! The title fight was in Chicago, Illinois, on September 25, 1962, with a wide public pulling for the champ (including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and authors James Baldwin and Norman Mailer). Encyclopedia of Arkansas Cruel Beginnings. Liston was inducted into the international Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born circa 1930 into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. Sonny Liston was born on May 8, probably 1932, to Tobe and Helen (Baskin) Liston, African-American sharecroppers in rural St. Francis County. After a little while, Liston followed his mother and was reunited with his other siblings. In June of the following year, Liston won the rematch with another knockout. That inbred struggle for survival often produces champions. On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. Sonny Liston lost his title to the little known Cassius Clay in the seventh round in February 1964. Dating is to describe a stage in a persons life when he or she is actively pursuing romantic relationships with different people. Sonny Liston Sonny Liston is a 4 year old colt and has raced in 2022. His final record as a professional was fifty wins, thirty-nine by knockout, and four losses. Maybe Liston was concerned about the death threats that had been made against Ali in the wake of the assassination of Malcolm X and Liston just wanted to get out of the ring that night as quickly as possible. The first time you log in to our catalog you will need to create an account. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sonny Liston was born in Sand Slough, AR on May 8, 1932. He organized a criminal gang that robbed and mugged locals. Liston was beaten in his ninth match by Marty Marshall. After winning most of his matches by knockout, he turned pro in 1951. Liston emptied his pockets of bills and returned to the car with all of the women's pencils. During the years that Liston was champ, the mob was in retreat. This project is funded in part by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant award. Knocked out #2-rated heavyweight contender Roy Harris (27-1) in one round. He only served six. Liston excelled in his newfound love, boxing, and, after a short amateur career, turned professional. Eddie Dooley, chairman of the New York Boxing Commission in the 1960s, said that as long as he was chairman of the commission Sonny Liston would never be granted a license to box in New York State. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. On this day in history, Feb. 25, 1964, a young Muhammad Ali Made a comeback in 1968-1969 and won 14 straight before losing to Leotis Martin. Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. Before his sentencing, Liston had been arrested more than twenty times. Liston destroyed the champion in one round and destroyed him again in the rematch. Touring the local hospital in a grey tweed overcoat with a black velvet collar, the intimidating, burly, 6-foot-tall, 215 lb. His heavyweight title-winning victory on September 25, 1962, was indicative of his powerful style: After a mere two minutes, he knocked out Floyd Patterson, which marked the first time in history that a reigning heavyweight champion was counted out in the first round. First heavyweight title challenger to earn a purse of $1,000,000. Maybe Liston realized that he couldn't beat the youthful Clay/Ali, and he opted not to get up off the canvas in round one instead of absorbing another beating. 2023 Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Tosches' explanation, of course, is that Liston was again dutifully following orders given by the mob. | Donations made to the CALS Foundation are tax-deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. They called it Sand Slough. In 1962, Liston went officially from being the poverty-stricken, illiterate child of an abusive tenant farmer in Arkansas to being the heavyweight champion of the whole world. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings and with virtually no schooling. Liston continued to box until the time of his death. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Ivn Popoca estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. She had been away on holiday. lis! It was there in Sand Slough that Charles L. Liston was born, on the 50 acres that Tobe rented from the Man.". Instead, he and some friends took to robbing people on the street and robbing gas stations with a loaded pistol. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights. Cox, who was interviewed extensively by Tosches, went as far as to say that Liston would still be alive if he had "spent more time with Father Murphy."). George Foreman was his sparring partner from 1969 to 1970. - IMDb Mini Biography By: He sold pecans from his brother-in-laws tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. Tosches goes to great lengths in his book to convey the ubiquitous presence of the mob in those days and the power that men like Frank "Gray Man" Carbo and Frank "Blinky" Palermo wielded in boxing. Sonny Liston, hard-luck son of Arkansas sharecroppers, was champion of the world. Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. In prison, encouraged by Catholic chaplains, Liston took up boxing, where he was an immediate and spectacular success. The place had a name, but it was not to be found on any map. Liston moved to Las Vegas in 1966 and was found dead there on Jan. 5, 1971, when his wife returned to their home from a Christmas visit with her mother. As the top fighter in the world, Liston became an easy target for sports columnists who remarked frequently on not only his menacing demeanor and vicious punching power but also his criminal background. Sonny Liston After being unable to reach Liston for 12 days, his wife Geraldine returned to their Nevada home on January 5, 1971, at which time she discovered Listons dead body. Sonny Liston was born on May 8, probably 1932, to Tobe and Helen (Baskin) Liston, African-American sharecroppers in rural St. Francis County. At 13, he escaped from his father's control and hitchhiked to Nous sommes tous Foes like the murderous-punching Cleveland Williams, Mike DeJohn and Nino Valdez succumbed to Liston's heavy fists. As the top fighter in the world, Liston became an easy target for sports columnists who remarked frequently on not only his menacing demeanor and vicious punching power but also his criminal background. If it was truly a fix, then Liston would have found a way to avoid taking the punishment that he received at Clay's hands before retiring on his stool after the sixth round. Family (1) Spouse Sonny Liston went from boxing champion and national anti-hero to a Las Vegas thug who drove around in a pink Cadillac and sold drugs. Again rumors were rife that the match was fixed by the criminal underworld. Big Hela had moved there in 1946. James Ellroy portrayed Sonny Liston as a fight loser, a heroin addict, a black racist, and a Mafia jawbreaker in his novel "The Cold Six Thousand.". From the time he was old enough to be useful in the fields, Sonny was a laborer for his tenant farmer father. From the start, Liston was a devastating puncher. He died in Vegas as mysteriously as he had lived, a man bent under a great shadow, afflicted by a legion of personal demons that no one could exorcise. Helen Liston First World Heavyweight Boxing Champion banned from fighting in New York State by the New York Boxing Commission. Sonny Listons height Unknown & weight Not Available right. Listons career was interrupted for nine months beginning in December 1956, when he was sent to the St. Louis workhouse for assaulting a policeman and stealing the officers gun. The dark side is evident. Sonny Liston: The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. He put himself under the care of still another Catholic priest, Father Edward P. Murphy, a kindly Jesuit who was the pastor of a predominantly black church in Denver. In 1996 when Mike Tyson KO'd Bruce Seldon in one round for the WBA Heavyweight Championship, Tyson had won the WBC Heavyweight Championship six months earlier and was seeking to unify the title. Charles "Sonny" Liston was pronounced dead at the scene. On September 25, 1962, Liston made history by becoming the heavyweight champion. Sonny Liston Wife According to our records, Sonny Liston married to Geraldine Seithel. Liston was buried in the Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas under the simplest of epitaphs: A MAN.. Much of what Tosches gleans about Liston's youth stem from interviews with people who lived on the Morledge Plantation in the 1930s and from Sonny's older half-brother E.B. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. He overcame tremendous odds to win the title and earn a measure of fame, but even so he was never embraced by the public. He was one of many children one account lists 22 siblings and half-siblings. American professional boxer who became world heavyweight champion in 1962, Born on May 08, 1932 Relationship with Timothy Michael Dowling (Sosa/Ahnentafel #1), Relationship with Geraldine Clark (spouse), Browse using this individual as Sosa/Ahnentafel #1, , born in1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased, , born inApril1873 - Montgomery Co., MS, deceased, Sources: Dowling Family Tree - Tim Dowling - rootsweb, 2001-2015 - - electronic - I435533, Marriage (with Geraldine Clark) - St. Louis, MO, List of all individuals in the family tree, {{ 'gw_downgraded_access_back_to_max'|translate }}, Born 8May1932 - Sand Lough, St. Francis Co., AR, Deceased 30December1970 - Las Vegas, Clark Co., NV, Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. WebAsuncin "Sunny" Cummings Hostin (/ h s t n /; born October 20, 1968) is an American lawyer, journalist, and television host.Hostin is co-host on ABC's morning talk show The Following his release from the workhouse, Liston quickly returned to the ring against Hunter and got his career back on track. Liston was the youngest heavyweight boxing champion to die (age 38). He was sired by Lawman out of the Galileo mare Stars In Your Eyes. She was working in a shoe factory when her son Charles unexpectedly came to the city and looked her up. Little Rock, AR. He defeated heavyweight contenders Roy Harris, Zora Folley, Eddie Machen, Cleveland Williams, Mike DeJohn, Henry Clark, and Chuck Wepner. Additional support provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) Clay later changed his name to Muhammad Ali. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team, 8 Times Brothers Have Faced Off in a Championship, Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl, Soccer Star Christian Atsu Survived an Earthquake. Apart from his demeanor, Liston was a charming man with a captivating smile. Sunny Hostin - Wikipedia It has been rumored that the crime boss John Vitale arranged for his early release. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover. He is one of the Richest Boxer who was born in AR. Liston was beholdin' to the mob and everybody knew it. Trivia He was convicted of robbery and larceny. He rose from poverty in the rural south to become one of the most dominant and feared professional fighters of the 20th century. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings, and with virtually no schooling. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. with Cornelia Winfrey, born in April 1873 - Montgomery Co., MS, deceased. Geraldine married Sonny Liston in 1950 DAmato went on to coach another great boxer in Mike Tyson. His time at the summit was brief. The reader can form his own conclusion based on the reports of those involved. With the help of a farsighted, black St. Louis businessman and some other backers who were aware of Sonny's potential, Liston pursued a ring career after leaving the joint and rejoining society at large. Very little is known about his birth and his New York: Blue Rider Press, 2016. His final record as a professional was 50 wins, 39 by knockout, and four losses. His epitaph reads: "A Man.". In 1966, following his loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. Publicity Listings Family tree of Sonny LISTON - Geneastar Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, 1990. Tosches here betrays an ignorance of boxing that no doubt hurts his credibility with those know know the sport. Sonny Liston: The mysterious death that haunts boxing He had been dead for some time, an ending every bit as murky as the Clay/Ali fights. Auspiciously, the massive man is known as The Bear then won his first nine fights before dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall. At the age of 13, he ran away to St. Louis, following his mother who had left earlier. On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful Boxer. On the same night at a different location, but on the same closed-circuit broadcast, Patterson defeated unheralded Tom McNeeley in four rounds in what would be the final successful defense of his crown. If there is a flaw in Tosches' book, it's that the author seems bent on carrying the theme of Liston and the mob beyond its logical parameters. Sonny Liston has been died on Dec 30, 1970 ( age 38). Let's check, How Rich is Mario, Ben Villaflor estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. The subsequent rematch with Clay on May 25, 1965, included the infamous "phantom punch." But the champ went down in a hurry: two minutes and six seconds in the first round. WebSonny Liston Photo Gallery. Liston, who was viewed as nearly invincible before the fight, was unable to answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay (soon to take the nameMuhammad Ali) was named champion on February 25, 1964. Wrong username or password. Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. | His last fight was against Chuck Wepner. Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. Armed robbery. His dad was an abusive alcoholic and at the age of 13, Sonny left to live with his aunt in Because of this alliance, which was public knowledge, Liston was called before the committee investigating organized crime that had been established by Tennessee Democratic Senator Estes Kefauver. He was trained by Charles Hills and has raced for Chelsea Thoroughbreds, and was bred in [Add Data] by [Add Data] . That hurt him deeply, though he instinctively hid the scars behind a scowl. According to Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDb & Various Online resources, famous Boxer Sonny Listons net worth is $82 Million before He died. As most boxing fans know, it was in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City that Sonny learned to box. Liston scored another knockout in a rematch with Patterson, but his 17-month reign as heavyweight champion ended at the hands of a brash fighter named Cassius Clay. Thus, cloaking the heavyweight champion of the world--the epitome of masculinity and male supremacy--in a Santa Claus hat was the height of irony at the time. Liston had a rough and violent childhood. To give back to society, he supported many children. Liston's purpose was to show the Pennylvania State Athletic Commission, and the world, that he was turning a new leaf. When a tribute gift is given the honoree will receive a letter acknowledging your generosity and a bookplate will be placed in a book. Major support provided through a partnership with the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism. Jack Dempsey and Roberto Duran are two cases in point. Liston lost his rematch to Ali in May 1965. Was the favorite fighter of the famous Fab Four, the Beatles, and he appears on their "Sgt. Liston, one of 25 children by his father, is reputed to have been born in May 1932, yet prison records show various birth dates, among them 1928. After having his license revoked, Liston made a smart decision, as he had when he bought out Barone. Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. He told them that he had no education, couldn't write and worked as a child to help feed his 24 siblings. contient des milliers de photos et GeneaStars. However, it turned out to be his stepdaughter, the daughter of his wife. Charles Sonny Liston was a noted boxer who briefly reigned as Heavyweight Champion after a first-round knockout against Floyd Patterson.